Augmented reality is a computer technology that replicates a real-world environment at least in part in which the elements thereof are augmented and/or supplemented by an information processing device, such as a computer. In particular, a computer-generated simulation provides sensory input such as video, sound, graphics, and/or tactile feedback, and simulates a user's presence in the environment allowing user interaction with the environment. Current forms of augmented reality are displayed on a computer display or with a special virtual reality headset worn over the user's eyes, which provides visual and sound simulations of the virtual reality experience. Some simulations also include additional sensory input, such as haptic/tactile feedback to the user to simulate various interactions with the virtual reality. The user may interact with the augmented reality using standard computer input devices such as a keyboard and mouse, and also through multimodal devices such as gloves or other wearables having sensors to detect motion and forces, and/or external motion sensors which detect a user's position and motions.
Current augmented reality systems and software applications generally use one or more tracking technologies to track the position and/or orientation of the augmented reality device or a user's position and motions. Such tracking technologies may include a GPS receiver (a device which receives geolocation data from a global positioning system), accelerometers, optical cameras, gyroscopes, and/or other sensors.
Augmented reality applications may be video games, informational content, or simply entertainment. An example of a currently popular augmented reality applications is the video game POKEMON GO for smartphones and tablet computers, in which characters are generated by the application, overlaid onto camera images taken by the camera of the smartphone and displayed on the display of the smartphone. The user can then play the game by interacting with the augmented reality environment using an input device of the smartphone, such as a touchscreen.
An augmented reality application may be operated on a vehicle using a passenger's personal electronic device (PED), or on an in-seat display system installed at the seat of each passenger. For example, a passenger may bring their personal electronic device onto the vehicle, and then operate the augmented reality application on the personal electronic device. Alternatively, the in-seat display system of the vehicle may have an augmented reality application operating on the in-seat display system.
However, certain tracking devices, such as GPS receivers, are not available while on a transport vehicle, such as an airplane, automobile, passenger train, bus, cruise ship, or the like. For example, when a personal electronic device such as a smartphone or tablet is in airplane mode, the GPS module is disabled. Also, GPS signals may be blocked or attenuated within a vehicle such that the GPS module cannot receive a sufficient signal from the GPS system to provide accurate geolocation data. Accordingly, an AR system which utilizes GPS location data to track the position of the device may not have full functionality while on the vehicle.
In addition, the augmented reality applications may utilize camera images taken by the smartphone or tablet as the image of the real-world environment which is augmented by computer-generated simulation. While on a vehicle, the smartphone or tablet will typically not have unobstructed views of the environment surrounding the vehicle, and therefore cannot capture good camera images of the surrounding environment for use in the augmented reality application.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to systems and methods for supporting an augmented reality application which can provide tracking data, camera images, and other data to an augmented reality application operating on an electronic device on a vehicle.